Emergency Substitutions

Recipe4Living

Even if your kitchen is usually stocked, there is still a chance that you will run out of something once you have started following a recipe. Luckily we have compiled a list of some substitutions you can use in a pinch and still have the finished product turn out pretty close to the real thing. It's a good idea to not use more that one substitution at a time for a recipe. Making one slight change will be fine, but the more changes you make, the higher the chance of it not turning out correctly either in taste or texture. These substitutions also may change the nutritional values of the recipe, either for better or for worse. If you are counting calories, carbs, sugars, fats or anything else, be sure to adjust your counts accordingly with any substitutions you make. If the middle column says "equal," simply use the substitution in the amount equal to what is required.

Ingredient		Amount	Possible Substitutions
Dairy Products	Buttermilk	1 cup	1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup total, or 1 cup plain yogurt
	Milk, whole	1 cup	1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water, or 1/3 cup dry milk plus 1 cup water
	Eggs, large	2 large eggs	3 small eggs
	Egg (for baking)	1	1 tsp cornstarch plus 1/4 cup water
	Egg	1 whole egg	2 egg yolks plus 1 tbsp water, or 1/4 cup egg substitute
	Half and half	1 cup	7/8 cup milk plus 3 tbsp butter
	Light cream	1 cup	2 tbsp butter plus enough milk to total one cup
	Cream	1 cup	1/3 cup butter plus 3/4 cup milk
	Sour Cream	1 cup	1 cup plain yogurt, or 7/8 cup buttermilk plus 3 tbsp butter
	Yogurt, plain	equal	1 cup sour cream
	Margarine or butter (for baking)	1 cup	1 cup hard shortening, or 7/8 cup vegetable oil
	Shortening	equal	Butter or margarine
	Asiago cheese	equal	Parmesan cheese
	Ricotta cheese	equal	Cottage cheese
Baking Needs	Flour (for thickening)	1 tbsp	1 1/2 tsp cornstarch, rice flour, or tapioca
	Self rising flour	1 cup	1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt
	Cake flour	1 cup	1 cup minus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
	Baking mix (like Bisquick)	1 cup	1 cup flour plus 1 1/2 tsp baking powder plus 1/2 tsp salt plus 3 tbsp solid shortening
	Tapioca	1 tbsp	1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
	Cornstarch	1 tbsp	2 tbsp all-purpose flour
	Sugar	1 cup	1 cup honey but reduce liquid in recipe by 1/2 cup
	Powdered (confectioner’s) sugar	1 cup	1 cup sugar plus 1 cup cornstarch mixed in food processor
	Light brown sugar	1 cup	1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tbsp molasses
	Dark brown sugar	1 cup	3/4 cup of granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup molasses
	Palm sugar	equal	Maple sugar, or brown sugar blended with maple syrup to moisten
	Honey	1 cup	1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup water
	Molasses	equal	1 cup honey
	Corn syrup	1 cup	2/3 cup sugar plus 1/3 cup hot water and cool to room temperature before using
	Chocolate, semisweet	1 oz	1 oz unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tbsp sugar, or 3 tbsp chocolate chips
	Chocolate, semisweet chips	1/2 cup	3 oz semisweet chocolate
	Chocolate, unsweetened	1 oz	3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa plus 1 tbsp margarine or oil
	Vinegar	1 tsp	2 tsp lemon juice
	Yeast, active dry	1 packet	2 1/2 tsp dry yeast ,or 1/3 cake yeast crumbled
	Baking powder	1 tsp	1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
	Oil	1 cup	1/2 lb butter, or 1 cup melted shortening, or 1 cup melted margarine
	Bread crumbs	1 cup	3/4 cup cracker crumbs
Seasonings and Flavorings	Herbs, fresh	1 tbsp	1 tsp dried herb of same type
	Herbs, dried	1 tsp	1 tbsp of same herb fresh
	Garlic	1 clove	1/8 tsp garlic powder or minced dried garlic
	Vanilla bean	1 inch	1 tsp vanilla extract
	Allspice, ground	1 tsp	1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground cloves
	Mustard (prepared)	1 tbsp	1 tsp dry mustard
	Pumpkin pie spice	1 tsp	1/2 tsp ground cinnamon plus 1/4 tsp ground ginger plus 1/8 tsp ground allspice plus 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
	Italian seasoning	3 tsp	1 tsp oregano plus 1 tsp basil plus 1 tsp sage
	Saffron	1/8 tsp	1/2 tsp tumeric
	Onion	1 small onion	1 tsp onion powder, or 1 tbsp minced dried onion re-hydrated
	Lemon, fresh juice	1 medium lemon	2-3 tbsp bottled lemon juice
	Lemon juice	1 tsp	1/2 tsp vinegar
	Lemon peel	1 tsp	1/2 tsp lemon extract
	Lemon grass	equal	Grated lemon zest mixed with a bit of fresh lemon juice
	Orange, fresh juice	1 medium orange	1/4 to 1/3 cup orange juice
	Amaretto	2 tbsp	1/4 to 1/2 tsp almond extract
	Sherry	2 tbsp	1 to 2 tsp vanilla extract
	Marsala	1/4 cup	1/4 cup dry wine plus 1 tsp brandy
	White wine	equal	White grape juice or apple juice
	Red wine	1/4 cup	1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
	Tomato sauce	2 cups	3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water
	Tomato juice	1 cup	1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water
	Tomatoes, canned	1 cup	Simmer 1 1/3 cup fresh tomato wedges for 10 minutes
	Cocktail sauce	1 cup	1 cup ketchup plus 2 tbsp horseradish (or to taste)
	Ketchup	1 cup	1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/4 cup sugar plus 2 tbsp vinegar

Emergency Substitutions

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